The Villainess Has Proposed a Contract Marriage

88 – Enjoy Your Meal

“Hmm…”

I lay on the bed, my eyes half-open, and let out a sigh. I felt a strong sense of discomfort. It was as if I had fainted for a moment, but there was a discrepancy between my memories and reality.

“Hey, Tina…”

“Yes, Dad?”

“Yurian and Glen too…”

The kids tilted their heads, and I met their curious gazes with a candid expression.

“How did you guys grow so tall?”

“…”

The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward. I wanted to tilt my head in confusion, just like the kids.

Then, Elpisia slowly revealed the truth, breaking the silence.

“Harte. You… you’ve been asleep for a year.”

“What…?”

“Didn’t you hear me? You’ve been asleep for a year, you…”

It was an unbelievable confession. It felt like I had just had a short dream, but a whole year had passed.

My chosen course of action was to deny reality.

“Hey, don’t lie, Elpisia. I’m not an ordinary person, and I couldn’t have been sleeping for a year.”

“Mom, Dad’s way of speaking is weird.”

“I guess the director must have hit his head hard. Or, rather, the concept of the director getting hurt is possible?”

“It’s because of us… that might happen.”

Tina, Yurian, and Glen reacted in turn.

I stared at Elpisia, unsure of what was wrong. But Elpisia was looking away, her eyes filled with a sense of loss.

Then, Tina asked a question with a natural tone.

“Now that I think about it… isn’t the current Dad correct? It’s unfair to only use honorifics with Mom and informal language with Dad.”

“Exactly…!!!”

In an instant, I sat up straight. As soon as I heard Tina’s words, a new door of thought opened.

The reason I started using informal language with Elpisia wasn’t anything special.

[The honorifics are too much. Rather than forcing myself to speak formally, I’d rather speak casually.]

[That’s a bit…]

[First, I should fulfill my duties as a husband.]

… and so on,

In reality, she had forced me to use informal language, and it had become a habit.

However, looking back, I realized that I was right to use casual language with Elpisia. Maybe Elpisia was waiting for that too…

What if I had carelessly overlooked it?

“Uh… ah…”

I might have made a big mistake.

“Elpisia.”

“… Yes.”

“Will you… allow me to use informal language from now on? I’ll start using honorifics again…”

“Do you want to go back to sleep, sir?”

“Ah… haha…”

It’s ridiculously awkward.

Ever since I regained my memories before the regression, I’ve had this feeling that my personality is getting mixed up.

Every time I see Elpisia’s face, I want to run to her and hug her. I’m seized by the urge to be as polite as possible towards her. I can’t even remember how I treated Elpisia before the hunting game.

“I’m more comfortable with honorifics… Elpisia. Of course, it’s more comfortable to listen to casual speech… yeah.”

“What’s with the sudden change in attitude? You’ve been acting like this since we started.”

“I told you already… I’ve been back.”

It seems like Elpisia has interpreted my words in a different way. But her sharp mind quickly grasped the situation and came up with a perfect answer.

“Harte…”

“Yes, Elpisia.”

“Is it really you?”

“That day, at the plaza, the flowers Plottie gave me were really beautiful… haha.”

The day Elpisia asked if I wanted to be her lover.

I awkwardly gave her a rejection, but soon after, I got down on one knee and proposed to her in a hurry.

The emotions I expressed implied the memories of that day.

“Come here, Elpisia.”

“… Okay.”

Elpisia approached me with slow steps and sat down on the bed with caution, as if she was taking care of me who had just woken up.

I gently hugged her, who had shrunk away.

“Thank you, Elpisia. For choosing me again.”

“… That’s what I should say.”

“Thank you for treating me kindly.”

“That’s also what I should say…”

“I love you, Elpisia.”

“That’s…”

Elpisia hesitated and whispered in my ear.

“That’s what I couldn’t say.”

In the world before the regression, she had never directly confessed her love to me. Elpisia wasn’t good at being honest, and I thought that was just part of her charm.

But Elpisia opened her mouth again.

As if she had left unspoken words behind.

It was as if she had made up her mind to definitely confess this time.

She said,

“I love you, Harte.”

“Elpisia…”

The familiar warmth seeped into me, a warmth I thought I could never feel again.

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It was extremely addictive. Therefore, I didn’t want to let her go, no matter what.

“Mm…”

But it seemed like the kids didn’t think so.

“It’s just that Mom and Dad are both weird. You know, Yurian?”

“I have no choice but to know. This is the first time I’ve seen two people act like this.”

“Tinya, and Yurian. Let’s sneak out. It’s only polite.”

“Ugh… I wanted to spend more time with Dad. Mom’s being annoying. She’s so annoying.”

It was then that I turned my attention to the kids. Even so, Elpisia was still clinging to me, making my posture awkward.

The two boys gave me a suspicious look, and Tinya pouted, sticking out her lips.

I felt embarrassed and tried to distance myself from Elpisia. Just then, a loud, chaotic noise came from outside the corridor.

The sudden intrusion made my reaction slow.

Boom!

The loud sound resonated instantly.

I had no idea the door could be opened so forcefully.

“…… Sir…!!!”

“Director…?”

The intruders were Cardi Lumine and Eco, carrying a basket. As soon as they confirmed my condition with their own eyes, they couldn’t hide their excitement.

“Finally, you’re awake… We were worried you wouldn’t open your eyes. It’s truly a relief.”

“… I apologize for the trouble.”

“Don’t say such heartless things. You didn’t even have the strength to take care of yourself, let alone others.”

Next, Cardi let out a sigh of relief and took the kids’ hands.

“Let’s go, we’ve seen you’re safe.”

“No? Grandfather? Do we have to leave already? I want to spend more time with Dad too.”

“Ah, good kids need to rest now.”

“But it’s daytime now.”

“It’s nap time.”

Tinya was almost forcibly dragged out by Cardi. Yurian and Glen followed her, entranced. Meanwhile, Eco hesitated, then held out the basket to persuade Cardi.

“Your Excellency! I baked cookies too… Can’t we eat them together and take a nap?”

“Hmm, let’s eat later. No, let’s eat on our own.”

“But what about those two…”

“The son-in-law and daughter are fine. They have other plans.”

“I don’t see any food…”

“That’s not something you should see at your age.”

Eco nodded reluctantly, accepting Cardi’s forced logic.

“Hmm…”

Eco was the last to remain at the door, bowing his head.

“Please enjoy your meal… Director, and Lady!”

Bang!

Eco’s farewell marked the complete disconnection from the corridor. Until then, I still had no idea what was going on.

The only thing I knew was that Elpisia was trembling in my arms.

I asked her, worried.

“Elpisia, are you cold?”

“…”

“Elpisia…?”

“Be quiet…”

“Hey?”

“Just a moment… Let’s talk later, okay?”

Pfft.

The sound of a tongue clicking echoed. It wasn’t me who did it, so it was Elpisia’s action. As I naturally observed Elpisia, her bright red ears caught my attention.

“I’m so embarrassed because of my useless father that I want to die… Don’t talk to me for now.”

It was only after Elpisia said this that I realized I was looking at myself from a third-person perspective.

Elpisia, who was suffocating with her breath held, and me, who was tightly embracing her.

What would a normal couple do in this situation?

As I thought about it, even I, a fool, came to a calculation.

“… This is crazy.”

I muttered a curse.

It was a swear word that I wouldn’t have said even if I had a knife to my throat before my rebirth. The words felt awkward, mixed with my former self.

But aside from the awkwardness, my emotions were genuine.

“How did I get my life back…?”

A burning thirst rose from the pit of my stomach.

“I’m so ashamed that I want to die again.”

◇

The corridor of the mansion.

Glen took out a cookie from Eco’s basket and put it in his mouth. The crunching sound stimulated his appetite.

“Delicious cookie, Eco.”

“I’m glad. Apparently, the chef said I have talent.”

“Yeah, I don’t know anything about cooking, but I know Eco has skills.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration – Eco’s cooking skills had been improving daily. And a part of that skill belonged to Harth’s share.

For the past year, the mansion’s residents had visited Harth’s room every day without fail. Each time, Eco would feel suffocated by the gloomy atmosphere.

Finally, her eyes had almost recovered. With the intention of freshening up the heavy air, she started making simple snacks.

The effect was minimal, but noticeable.

As soon as the food entered their mouths, the conversation began, and simultaneously, the atmosphere relaxed, which I could feel on my skin.

Thanks to that, everyone’s waiting time for Harth became more comfortable. In that sense, Eco was a hidden atmosphere maker.

“Whew, anyway, it’s really fortunate that the director woke up. Right, Glen?”

“Right. It’s fortunate… really.”

Glen felt relieved on one hand, while recalling the memories of the hunting festival on the other.

At the time, Harth was severely injured and was quickly forgotten, but as time passed, the questions grew.

“That demon… Who was it?”

There was a man who rushed towards Harth like the first one.

He flew far away in an instant, but his face remained vivid in my memory. He was a man whose eyes couldn’t be forgotten even in a chaotic situation.

“Did I get the impression that he resembled me by chance?”

If the situation had been peaceful, I would have given him a careful glance.

But even if I brushed it off as a coincidence, it would still be a suspicious event. However, doubts kept rising in the corner of Glen’s mind like a fountain.

“I’m curious.”